Wind-wheel



(Model) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

A, SHERWOOD.

WIND WHEEL. No. 244,677. Patented-July 1 9 1881..

WITNESSES INVENTOR V ATTORNEY u. PETERS. Phom-Ulhograpfnn (anhhgtcm an v (ModeL) I 3 Shets-Sheet 2.

A. SHERWOOD.

WIND WHEEL.

Patented July 19,1881.

1 ml I W Ill WITNESSES I INVENTOR ATTORNEY N. PETER; Mumm. Walhingion o. c

" Modem t e e h s m e e h S 3 D O O W R E H S L WIND WHEEL.

No. 244,677. Patented Ju1y 19,1881

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY I UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN SHERWOOD,OF BURLINGTON, KANSAS.

.WlND-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,677, dated July 19, 1881,

Application filed May9, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A, SHERWOOD, of Bur lington,in the county of Coffey and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in windmills, the object of the same being tofurnish a cheap and simple device that willautomaticall y regulate its, speed by throwing itself out of the wind when the pressure is too strong and rightingitself after the pressure has been relieved.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details in construction and combinations of parts, as will be more fully explained, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of myiinproved device. Fig. 2is a plan view, part in section. Fig. 3. is a detached view, showing the manner of securing the arms on the shaft. Fig. 4 is an end view ofoneof the arms with the wings partly folded.

A represents a post or standard, having the bearings B secured thereto which support the vertical shaft 0. This shaft 0 is provided with a crank-arm, D, at its lower end, having apitman, a, connected thereto, which operates a bell-crank lever, I), connected with a pumphandle. The upper end of this vertical shaft 0 is provided with one or more sets of radial arms. In the'presentinstance I have shown two sets rigidly secured on the vertical shaft in such a mannerthat the opening orclosingof the wings of one set of arms will not interfere with the workingof the others, while allowing the wings to receive the full force of the wind. These arms E may be secured on the shaft 0 in any suitable manner; but I prefer to make that portion of the shaft which supports the arms square, and by placing disks or plates 0 0, respectively, above and below them securely hold them in position. The arms E form a lap-joint at their center, through which the vertical shaft passes, thereby adding still further to their strength and preventing the arms of one set from turning independently. The rear faces of these arms are provided with inclined sides 6, which allow them to turn against the wind with asv little resistance as possible, and the outer ends of same are partly beveled to allow the hinged arms supporting the wings to turn backward and in ward when the pressure is too great, the remaining portions of the said arms 15 being flat, which prevents the arms F, carrying the wings G, from turning forward. The

adjacent and rear extremities of the arms E and F are exactly similar, and are connected together by a hinge, H, the jointh, thusformed, allowing the arms to turn backward when the pressure of the wind overcomes the adjustable spring I, situated on the front face of the arms. These sprin gs are rigidly secured to the arms E at one end, and connected at the other end to the finger I, having perforations formed therein, into which the outer end of thespring is placed. "When it is desired to increase the power of the mill the springs areremoved and v placed in perforations farther from the arms F, and when a lighter power is required the springs are placed nearer to the arms. When placed in this latter position the strength of the joints is considerably weakened,and when a strong wind strikes the wings the arms fold inward, which allows the wind contained therein to escape, and the arms and wings then resume their former position.

Instead of using springs, as above described, weights and pulleys may be used and adjusted in precisely the same manner, and accomplish the same result as that obtained by the use of springs.

G are the wings, made entirely of sheet metal, or instead thereof a metallic frame with canvas covering, which will answer the same purpose as sheet metal. These wings are hinged respectively on the top and bottom of the-arms, and are each provided with a rod, K, having weight Lsecured thereon, which is just heavy enough to hold the wings open to the wind and allow same to'close when theirbacks are brought to the wind, which decreases the resistance and does not require agreater part of the power produced by the open wings to overcome the resistance caused by the closed wings returning to the wind. These rods and weights also limit the spread of the wings, and

IOO

prevent them from turningicompletelyon their hinges.

Instead of mounting my improved mill on the standard A, as described, I may place it on a tower or building and connect it with any machinery desired, either by belt, pitman, or cog-wheels.

The hanging of the wings as above described allows them to come together when their backs are brought to the wind and to open automatically by the weights when their faces are presented thereto.

If desired, I can attach a brake to the stan dard to connect with the shaft when it is desired to stop the wheel for a short time; but if the mill is not desired for use for several days it is better to unfasten the springs and allow the arms F to turn backward, as all danger of straining the mill by braking it will be obviated.

The arms E and F may be made of metal or wood, as desired; and instead of constructing the wings to open and close, as shown, a metallic frame may be provided having two arms extending outward from its outer end, formsprings be used to balance the wings, instead of the weights shown and described, which will perform the same function as the weights, and at the same time materially decrease the weight of the whole machine.

It is evident that slight changes in the construction might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes as come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a horizontal windmill, the combination, with a standard and a vertical shaft, of one or more sets of fixed radial arms secured on squared portions of said vertical shaft, each fixed arm having a hinged arm provided with wings adapted to automatically open and close, substantially as set forth.

2. In a horizontal windmill, the combination, with a standard and vertical shaft, of one or more sets of radial arms rigidly secured to said vertical shaft, and a hinged arm having wings adapted to automatically open and close secured to each rigid arm and held in a line therewith bya spring, substantially as set forth.

3. In a horizontal windmill, the combination, with a standard, vertical shaft, and radial arms rigidly secured to the said shaft, of the hinged arms held in position by springs, and wings having rods and weights attached to the back, by which they are automatically opened, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ALVIN SHERWOOD,

Witnesses:

J. S. KING, A. L. WOODFORD. 

